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Just got a MacBook Air. Help!

L

lsquare

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 30, 2010
697
67
Long story short, I have a brand new M1 MBA. I come from a Windows background so very limited MacOS experience.

I intend to mostly use the MBA at home. As a result, I don't really want to set up a login/password. My Windows desktop is set up where after I press the power button, it'll go straight to the desktop. Is this possible with a Mac? I recall if I were to turn it on the first time, it'd ask me to create a username/password.

My understanding is that the MBA can only output to one display. What if I have the lid closed? I know that MacOS scales differently with resolution than Windows. I have the two following monitors at home. How will this look? Sharp or fuzzy text? Is the M1 MBA capable of supporting 4K/144hz output?

www.newegg.ca

LG 29WQ500-B 29” 100hz IPS LED UltraWide FHD AMD FreeSync Monitor with HDR - Newegg.com

Buy LG 29WQ500-B 29” 100hz IPS LED UltraWide FHD AMD FreeSync Monitor with HDR with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!
www.newegg.ca www.newegg.ca

Lenovo Y32p-30 31.5inch Gaming Monitor (66F9UAC6US) | 66F9UAC6US

Legion Y32p-30 is made to help you dominate every game you play and work at your best in brilliant UHD clarity. Buy now to immerse in a world-class experience.
www.lenovo.com

How do I install apps not from the app store? In Windows, I just click on the .exe file and then go through the prompts. What about on the Mac?

Maybe not the place to ask, but is it possible to create a bootable Windows 10/11 with a USB drive plugged into the MBA? Ideally, this is possible and then I can take the USB drive to go and do a clean install of Windows.

Is Google Chrome running natively on Apple Silicon or it's still in emulation?

Is it possible to take all the tabs, bookmarks, and history that are in Chrome and transfer them to Safari?

Is anyone here using Chrome and Safari simultaneously or I should stick with Safari for the best possible experience?

Is anti-virus necessary? Even on my iPhone, I only install apps from the App Store and I never open email attachments. I only deal with email attachments on my Windows desktop.

Are keyboard and mouse commands largely the same between Windows and MacOS?
 
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lsquare said:
How do I install apps not from the app store? In Windows, I just click on the .exe file and then go through the prompts. What about on the Mac?
Click to expand...
You can use the parent website offering the program, eg Microsoft Edge, WIX, affinity design etc
lsquare said:
Maybe not the place to ask, but is it possible to create a bootable Windows 10/11 with a USB drive plugged into the MBA? Ideally, this is possible and then I can take the USB drive to go and do a clean install of Windows.
Click to expand...
If the Windows os is installed, use time machine which backs up the entire macbook air
lsquare said:
Is Google Chrome running natively on Apple Silicon or it's still in emulation?
Click to expand...
someone else can answer this, i think "no'
lsquare said:
Is it possible to take all the tabs, bookmarks, and history that are in Chrome and transfer them to Safari?
Click to expand...
yes
lsquare said:
Is anyone here using Chrome and Safari simultaneously or I should stick with Safari for the best possible experience?
Click to expand...
I use edge with Safari on my MBA M1 for tasks Safari cant perform
lsquare said:
Is anti-virus necessary? Even on my iPhone, I only install apps from the App Store and I never open email attachments. I only deal with email attachments on my Windows desktop.
Click to expand...
we never used anti-virus on our macs, as well as 3rd party cleaners, since they seem to be bthersome
lsquare said:
Are keyboard and mouse commands largely the sake between Windows and MacOS?
Click to expand...
they are different but not that of an issue as i used a Dell XPS 13" from 2019 to 2022ish.


Why didn't you get a Asus Zenbook with the same specs? they seem to be great window computers.
 
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I still don't understand how to install non-App store apps since Macs don't utilize .exe files.

Not sure why you mentioned time machine when I want to create a bootable Windows ISO drive on a Mac.

How do I transfer everything from Chrome to Safari? Is it seamless?

What are the difference between the keyboard/mouse commands?
 
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Installing applications can happen a couple of ways.

You download from the website and open the folder. Once this is ready, If you see an application icon, it's usually one that can be dragged and dropped on the Applications folder. If you don't, it can be double-clicked, and will start the installation process.
 
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lsquare said:
Long story short, I have a brand new M1 MBA. I come from a Windows background so very limited MacOS experience.

I intend to mostly use the MBA at home. As a result, I don't really want to set up a login/password. My Windows desktop is set up where after I press the power button, it'll go straight to the desktop. Is this possible with a Mac? I recall if I were to turn it on the first time, it'd ask me to create a username/password.

My understanding is that the MBA can only output to one display. What if I have the lid closed? I know that MacOS scales differently with resolution than Windows. I have the two following monitors at home. How will this look? Sharp or fuzzy text? Is the M1 MBA capable of supporting 4K/144hz output?

www.newegg.ca

LG 29WQ500-B 29” 100hz IPS LED UltraWide FHD AMD FreeSync Monitor with HDR - Newegg.com

Buy LG 29WQ500-B 29” 100hz IPS LED UltraWide FHD AMD FreeSync Monitor with HDR with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!
www.newegg.ca www.newegg.ca

Lenovo Y32p-30 31.5inch Gaming Monitor (66F9UAC6US) | 66F9UAC6US

Legion Y32p-30 is made to help you dominate every game you play and work at your best in brilliant UHD clarity. Buy now to immerse in a world-class experience.
www.lenovo.com

How do I install apps not from the app store? In Windows, I just click on the .exe file and then go through the prompts. What about on the Mac?

Maybe not the place to ask, but is it possible to create a bootable Windows 10/11 with a USB drive plugged into the MBA? Ideally, this is possible and then I can take the USB drive to go and do a clean install of Windows.

Is Google Chrome running natively on Apple Silicon or it's still in emulation?

Is it possible to take all the tabs, bookmarks, and history that are in Chrome and transfer them to Safari?

Is anyone here using Chrome and Safari simultaneously or I should stick with Safari for the best possible experience?

Is anti-virus necessary? Even on my iPhone, I only install apps from the App Store and I never open email attachments. I only deal with email attachments on my Windows desktop.

Are keyboard and mouse commands largely the same between Windows and MacOS?
Click to expand...
Welcome to the Mac community!

Look up a YouTube channel called MacMost. For newer users it’s extremely useful and even old macOS users like me can learn new tricks.
 
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bousozoku said:
Installing applications can happen a couple of ways.

You download from the website and open the folder. Once this is ready, If you see an application icon, it's usually one that can be dragged and dropped on the Applications folder. If you don't, it can be double-clicked, and will start the installation process.
Click to expand...
Quite often on mac, software comes in the form of a .dmg file, a disk image file. You double-click to mount it, and it shows up as a harddisk in Finder, and contains a installer for the software and associated files.
 
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lsquare said:
My understanding is that the MBA can only output to one display. What if I have the lid closed? I know that MacOS scales differently with resolution than Windows. I have the two following monitors at home. How will this look? Sharp or fuzzy text? Is the M1 MBA capable of supporting 4K/144hz output?
Click to expand...
The M1 Air has two display controllers, one is hard wired to the internal display, one is available to the external display. You should be able to power a single 4K display at 144hz off of the Air. There are software based solutions like DisplayLink which can bypass this restriction but there’s a slight hit in quality and you can’t go beyond 60hz.
lsquare said:
How do I install apps not from the app store? In Windows, I just click on the .exe file and then go through the prompts. What about on the Mac?
Click to expand...
Much like with Windows apps you’ll go to the developer website and download the install package. Most Mac apps come in a .dmg file which is a disk image. The image will mount a virtual disk on your desktop and will contain either an installer that you’ll click on and follow the steps just like a .exe file, or it will have a fully contained copy of the app that you just drag to your Applications folder. If it’s the latter there is almost always a background graphic that will clearly say “Drag this to your Applications folder!” (Side note: Mac apps are self-contained packages presented as a single icon, so what you see as an app in the Applications folder is actually a bundle of files containing the majority of an app’s support files).
lsquare said:
Maybe not the place to ask, but is it possible to create a bootable Windows 10/11 with a USB drive plugged into the MBA? Ideally, this is possible and then I can take the USB drive to go and do a clean install of Windows.
Click to expand...
M1 devices can’t natively boot Windows. You can download and install a paid app called Parallels which will allow you to run the ARM version of Windows 11 as a virtual machine. You can use the virtual machine to make a bootable Windows 10/11 installation media to use on other devices (the bootable device you create doesn’t have to be the ARM version if you’re looking to use it on a x86 device).
lsquare said:
Is Google Chrome running natively on Apple Silicon or it's still in emulation?
Click to expand...
Almost all major software packages including Chrome are Apple Silicon native now.
lsquare said:
Is it possible to take all the tabs, bookmarks, and history that are in Chrome and transfer them to Safari?
Click to expand...
Safari should give you the option to transfer your bookmarks, passwords, and other items in from Chrome. You can also manually export your data from Chrome and import it into Safari. The two are not designed to sync, though, so if you add bookmarks or saved passwords to one browser it won’t appear in the other unless you add them.
lsquare said:
Is anyone here using Chrome and Safari simultaneously or I should stick with Safari for the best possible experience?
Click to expand...
You can use any browser combination simultaneously keeping in mind the lack of syncing I noted above.
lsquare said:
Is anti-virus necessary? Even on my iPhone, I only install apps from the App Store and I never open email attachments. I only deal with email attachments on my Windows desktop.
Click to expand...
Antivirus is arguably not even necessary on Windows (outside of the built in Defender) if you avoid shady corners of the internet or downloading software from non-reputable sources. Most Mac users can get away without antivirus software but there are several free options like Avira or Microsoft’s own Defender for Mac which can give you some added protection with minimal overhead.
lsquare said:
Are keyboard and mouse commands largely the same between Windows and MacOS?
Click to expand...
Other than getting used to holding down the Command key instead of the Control key most of the keyboard combinations are the same across platforms. Apple has some interesting unique ones as well as some trackpad gestures that activate certain features that would be handy to learn.
 
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You guys have been fantastic! Thank you!

In terms of drivers, how are they typically installed? If I have a Logitech and it's Mac compatible, will the mouse automatically work after connecting via BlueTooth?

www.logitech.com

Logitech MX ERGO Advanced Wireless Trackball Mouse

www.logitech.com www.logitech.com

My understanding is that the MBA can only output to one display. What if I have the lid closed? I know that MacOS scales differently with resolution than Windows. I have the two following monitors at home. How will this look? Sharp or fuzzy text? Is the M1 MBA capable of supporting 4K/144hz output?

Since the M1 MBA has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, I'm assuming they can be used to transfer data and charge simultaneously?
 
lsquare said:
In terms of drivers, how are they typically installed?
Click to expand...
Believe it or not, but we seldom talk about 'drivers' anymore in the mac world. I'm not an expert on this, but I believe it goes like; apple has made macOS have its own set of built-in functionality that, if the 3rd-part manufacturer adheres to it, the device will work without a dedicated driver.

Just plug the mouse in, and it'll work. If it has any unique software to customize it, get it from the manufacturer and install it. This also goes for non-apple devices. Another example; I've used different audio interfaces on macs for 25 years, and I can't remember the last time I needed to install drivers for them. This is thanks to "CoreAudio" in macOS. I think there are others like "coregraphics" etc. so, same with printers/scanners and the like; plug'em in and they'll work. Welcome to mac.
 
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Ben J. said:
Believe it or not, but we seldom talk about 'drivers' anymore in the mac world. I'm not an expert on this, but I believe it goes like; apple has made macOS have its own set of built-in functionality that, if the 3rd-part manufacturer adheres to it, the device will work without a dedicated driver.

Just plug the mouse in, and it'll work. If it has any unique software to customize it, get it from the manufacturer and install it. This also goes for non-apple devices. Another example; I've used different audio interfaces on macs for 25 years, and I can't remember the last time I needed to install drivers for them. This is thanks to "CoreAudio" in macOS. I think there are others like "coregraphics" etc.
Click to expand...
That's good to know!

I find it very interesting that since Google Chrome is free and supposedly has native support for Apple Silicon it's not available via the App Store. I wonder why.
 
lsquare said:
I intend to mostly use the MBA at home. As a result, I don't really want to set up a login/password. My Windows desktop is set up where after I press the power button, it'll go straight to the desktop.
Click to expand...
  1. Click on the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
  2. Select Users & Groups.
  3. Click on the drop-down menu next to “Automatically login” and choose your user account.
  4. Type in your password and click OK.
  5. Quit System Settings.
From: Disable Password on Mac

The Apple menu is the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen. You can also just run System Settings from the dock at the bottom of your screen.
 
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Night Spring said:
  1. Click on the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
  2. Select Users & Groups.
  3. Click on the drop-down menu next to “Automatically login” and choose your user account.
  4. Type in your password and click OK.
  5. Quit System Settings.
From: Disable Password on Mac

The Apple menu is the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen. You can also just run System Settings from the dock at the bottom of your screen.
Click to expand...
This seems like an extra step. Is it not possible to set this up as a new owner at the beginning? Or do I have to set up a username/password and then follow your instructions?
 
lsquare said:
This seems like an extra step. Is it not possible to set this up as a new owner at the beginning? Or do I have to set up a username/password and then follow your instructions?
Click to expand...
A username and password is needed. There are situations other than logging in where the system will ask you for a password to confirm you want to perform an action. For instance, you asked about installing apps from outside the App Store. This will require confirmation with a password.

(btw, I recommend new Mac users to start by exploring the apps available from the App Store -- there's a great selection of apps, both free and paid, and much easier to deal with than downloading and installing apps from other sources. You may eventually want apps with functions not allowed by the App Store, but get used to the OS first before you start experimenting with those.)
 
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lsquare said:
In terms of drivers, how are they typically installed? If I have a Logitech and it's Mac compatible, will the mouse automatically work after connecting via BlueTooth?
Click to expand...
Logitech gear (and just about everything else) works flawlessly. (Edited to add: "without installing drivers.")

It's been a while since I read them but the Missing Manuals really do explain things nicely if you're a book person. Apparently available electronically at https://books.apple.com/us/book/macos-catalina-the-missing-manual/id1490182061

And, for what it's worth, these are hard machines -- both hardware and software -- to break. If you're careful about not downloading questionable software not much can go too wrong.
 
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Night Spring said:
A username and password is needed. There are situations other than logging in where the system will ask you for a password to confirm you want to perform an action. For instance, you asked about installing apps from outside the App Store. This will require confirmation with a password.

(btw, I recommend new Mac users to start by exploring the apps available from the App Store -- there's a great selection of apps, both free and paid, and much easier to deal with than downloading and installing apps from other sources. You may eventually want apps with functions not allowed by the App Store, but get used to the OS first before you start experimenting with those.)
Click to expand...
Is it possible to disable the requirement to enter a password to install non-app store apps?
 
lsquare said:
Is it possible to disable the requirement to enter a password to install non-app store apps?
Click to expand...
I hadn't even thought to look for such an option, I only install new software once in a while, so it doesn't bother me. I just made my password 4 digits, so not much of a bother to type.
 
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Ben J. said:
What about Touch ID, which I believe you have on your Macbookair.

Bruk Touch ID på Macen

Konfigurer Touch ID til å låse opp Macen og kjøpe objekter, og til å feilsøke problemer kun ved å bruke fingeravtrykket ditt.
support.apple.com
Click to expand...
I can set the Touch ID to replace the password to login or install apps?
 
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